missing files

[ggreenblum]

I edited and saved many photos in Photoshop Elements 13.  I closed the program and when I re-opened program the next day I cannot find the files/photos from earlier work session.  How / where do I find them?

[Greg_S.]

Hi @ggreenblum, we need to know more information about your workflow to help you find an answer.

What OS are you using (Mac or Windows)?

Do you use the Organizer, or are you just editing files opened from the OS browser (Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder)?

How are you saving your edited files?  Are you using the File>Save method to overwrite the original image or File>Save As to save a copy of the file (and possibly change the file format)?  Or are you closing the edited file (or the program), and saving the file when prompted to do so by a pop-up message?

If you are using the Organizer, are you saving the edited file as a copy in a Version Set?

What format are you saving the file as?  The default is to save the file as a .psd file.  If you are only using your OS to view the files, you will not be seeing any thumbnail of the file.  Is that what you mean by the file being missing?

Now, having asked all these questions, let me give you some suggestions for finding the edited files:

• In the Editor's File menu, there is an option to Open Recently Edited Files.  Do any of your edited files appear there?  If so, you can open them again.  Once the file is opened, you can hover over the document tab and the full path of where the file is stored will appear.  The following screenshot is from Windows.  (I assume something similar exists with Macs.)

• If you open a recently edited file, you can also find its location by clicking on the Save or Save As options in the File menu.  The dialog should default to the storage location of the open file.